Method and apparatus for forwarding data

Abstract

Forwarding devices and corresponding methods are provided in which a plurality of input data streams are distributed among a plurality of output data streams on the basis of synchronization marking. One example method of forwarding data includes receiving a plurality of input data streams, where at least some of the input data streams include synchronization markers indicating which data of the input data streams are to be output synchronously, in one or more common time segments. Further included in the method is distributing the data to be output synchronously among a plurality of output data streams on the basis of the synchronization markers. The distributing is carried out in such a way that data which, according to the synchronization markers, are to be transmitted in a common time segment are provided in the same time segment in all the output data streams to which the data are to be assigned.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for forwarding data, comprising:
 receiving a plurality of input data streams, wherein at least some of the input data streams comprise synchronization markers indicating which data of the input data streams are to be output synchronously, in one or more common time segments, and 
 distributing the data to be output synchronously among a plurality of output data streams on the basis of the synchronization markers; 
 wherein distributing is carried out in such a way that data which, according to the synchronization markers, are to be transmitted in a common time segment are provided in the same time segment in all the output data streams to which said data are to be assigned; 
 wherein the method includes progressively reading out the plurality of input data streams, wherein data assigned to a synchronization marker are read out in each case from each input data stream, and distributing the data thus read out among the output data streams; and 
 wherein the progressive reading out and the distributing are then repeated in each case for a respective next synchronization marker of the input data streams. 
 
     
     
       2. The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein receiving the input data streams comprises storing the input data streams in a respectively assigned memory. 
     
     
       3. The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the progressive reading out is carried out in parallel for different groups of input data streams. 
     
     
       4. The method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising filling time segments of the output data streams with data that are not to be transmitted synchronously. 
     
     
       5. The method as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the filling is carried out in parallel for all the output data streams. 
     
     
       6. The method as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the filling is carried out in such a way that data of the input data streams which are to be provided in a plurality of output data streams are provided in mutually corresponding time segments in the output data streams. 
     
     
       7. The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a data processing is carried out at least partly in parallel for the plurality of output data streams. 
     
     
       8. The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the data are data of a microscope system. 
     
     
       9. The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the data comprise commands for at least one of:
 synchronizing the input data streams among one another; 
 synchronizing the output data streams among one another; and 
 synchronizing the output data streams with external events. 
 
     
     
       10. The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the data of the input data streams have information regarding to which output data stream of the output data streams they are to be assigned. 
     
     
       11. A data forwarding device, comprising:
 input circuitry including one or more memory circuits configured to receive a plurality of input data streams; 
 output circuitry configured to provide output data streams corresponding to the input data streams; and 
 processing circuitry configured to obtain the output data streams from the input data streams, wherein at least some of the input data streams comprise synchronization markers indicating which data of the input data streams are to be output synchronously, in one or more common time segments, and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to distribute the data to be output synchronously among a plurality of output data streams on the basis of the synchronization markers; 
 wherein the distributing is carried out in such a way that data which, according to the synchronization markers, are to be transmitted in a common time segment are provided in the same time segment in all the output data streams to which said data are to be assigned; 
 wherein the one or more memory circuits comprises a plurality of memories, each configured for storing data of one of the input data streams; and 
 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to progressively read out data assigned to a given one of the synchronization marker from the input circuitry, wherein the output circuitry includes an output buffer for each of output data stream outputs, and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to write the read data to corresponding ones of the output buffers. 
 
     
     
       12. The data forwarding device as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to read out data from the input circuitry that are not to be transmitted synchronously, and to write said data to further output buffers of the output circuitry, and wherein the processing circuitry is configured form each output data stream as a combination of synchronous data from a corresponding one or more input data streams and non-synchronous data from the corresponding one or more input data streams. 
     
     
       13. The data forwarding device as claimed  claim 11 , wherein the forwarding device comprises at least one of an application-specific integrated circuit and a field programmable gate array.